


Don't Let Anyone Convince You

by Badassium1970



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Panic Attack, Rubberbang - Freeform, anxiety attack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-13
Updated: 2016-06-13
Packaged: 2018-07-14 20:08:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7188275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Badassium1970/pseuds/Badassium1970
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ross was scrolling through comments and got lost in all the terrible things people said about him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Let Anyone Convince You

It always started with that one mean, offensive comment that got through. That was all it took for Ross to go insane. Getting lost as he began reading a spiral of negative tweets and comments directed at him. Additionally, every recent comment his friends had made jokingly pissed off at him became harsh in his mind. 

Ross fell further and further from reality as he continued reading how much everyone seemed to hate him. He didn’t even register that he was crying, releasing small sobs that were becoming louder ever now and again.

As soon as the screen started to blur Ross noticed that he was crying, yet he still couldn’t stop himself. His sobs became louder, and he hoped no one, namely Dan as he was he only other person at the Grump space, heard him as broken sobs escaped from his lips.

He always felt so much hatred nowadays. Every time he saw just one mean comment his brain became a mess with every “Goddamn it Ross” replaying in his mind. Usually he knew it was a joke, but at times like these it didn’t take a lot for him to convince himself that he wasn’t wanted. 

Dan was sitting across the room from Ross, his headphones in and the volume turned up almost all the way as he worked on some Ninja Sex Party songs. As soon as there was a lull in sound Dan heard a loud sob, causing him to look to the other side of the room to see Ross; he had forgotten the younger man was also in the room. He tended to totally space out when he was working on music and he knew this but Dan still wondered how he didn’t hear Ross’s sobs which seemed to be growing louder. 

Dan closed his laptop, practically pulling himself off the couch, his legs feeling strange due to sitting curled up for so long. 

After walking across the room to Ross’s desk he could see that Ross’s face was stained with tears.

Ross caught a glimpse of Dan’s reflection in his monitor and quickly minimised the hateful tweets he had been reading through. Then he closed eyes hoping they would dry up and get less red or he could at least look more stressed than upset. 

“Ross you’re not fooling me, what’s wrong?” 

Silence. 

Ross hoped that if he just ignored Dan he would go away of course he knew that wouldn’t happen but it was the best idea his stressed, tired mind could come up with. 

“Come on buddy.” 

Dan spun Ross’s chair around so the younger man was facing him. 

Ross’s face was covered in tears, his eyes swollen and red. Light locks of his hair were sticking up all over the place due to him running his hand through his hair so often. His lips were chapped and his bottom one was practically crimson from biting it. Ross looked like a mess, he knew he was and he hated that Dan had to see him like this. 

Dan cupped Ross’s face, wiping away his tears. A simple, sweet gesture that made Ross’s face burn and his heart flutter as he looked away from Dan. 

“Ross, look at me,” Dan’s voice was soft and filled with upset. 

Ross felt terrible that he had made the older man feel unhappy. When he returned his gaze to the man in front of him he felt even worse, noticing the worry in Dan’s eyes.

“Ross,” Danny’s voice suddenly sounded a lot more serious. 

“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong, or am I going to have to force you out of that chair and check what you were looking at since that’s obviously what’s making you upset?”   
After years of knowing Ross, Dan knew the only way to get him to admit anything was to be stern, maybe even going so far to throw in a light threat. 

“Dan please, it’s nothing don’t worry about it.” Ross really didn’t want anyone to know about his struggles. 

“Ross, you’re obviously really bothered by this and I want to know what this thing is so I can help you.” 

Dan’s voice sounded pained. Ross knew he couldn’t show Dan himself, he needed to leave, he could already feel the walls start to close in. Standing, Ross offered his chair to the older man. 

“Dan, just, don’t, don’t worry about this, it’s stupid.”

Dan went to reply but Ross had already left the room. Part of Dan wanted to follow him but at the same time he knew he needed to find out what was hurting the younger man before he could properly help him. 

Opening the tabs that Ross had minimised he was shocked that they were pages of hate filled comments and messages directed at Ross. 

Dan wondered why the younger man was looking at these kind of messages, but he knew right know that wasn’t important, what was important was that this comments got to him. It was surprising, all of the Grumps got hate, especially Ross, yet he always seemed so calm and unaffected by it, so carefree; now Dan could see though his façade. 

Closing the hate filled websites Dan left to find Ross who was not far from the room he was just in. In fact, he had collapsed in the hallway in a bundle of tears, silent sobs escaping his lips. 

Dan sat next to his friend, wrapping one arm around him. Ross hid his face in Dan’s t-shit, Dan didn’t mind and held the younger man closer. 

The two sat in silence for a while, Dan stroking Ross’s back as he cried into Dan’s t-shirt. 

Ross really appreciated Dan doing this, as humiliating as he found it. Ross was surprised by how comfortable the lanky man was, and he smelt really good. His hand rubbing Ross’s back in a soothing manner caused the younger man’s skin to tingle. 

When Ross finally made himself stop crying he removed his head from Dan’s chest, instantly missing the comforting feeling that he enjoyed. Ross grimaced when he saw the wet patch on Dan’s t-shirt that had been caused by his tears. He refused to look at the older man’s face. 

“Thank you,” Ross spoke, his voice quiet and broken from crying. Ross then went to leave but Dan caught his wrist, pulling him back down even close to him. 

“You know what they say isn’t true right?” 

Ross nodded. 

“I know.”

Ross sighed and went to leave again only to be pulled into Dan’s lap and embraced in a tight hug. 

“I mean it, anything they say is bullshit, you’re not annoying or ugly, we all love you okay…” 

Dan opened his mouth to continue but stopped himself. 

Ross began to feel choked up again, he knew Dan cared about him but he had never shown this much compassion towards him, it almost gave him hope. 

“Thanks Dan, I love you… I love you guys too,” Ross hoped his stuttering and pause would be ignored. 

The two remained in awkward silence. Ross was still in Dan’s lap and although he thought maybe he should move off of the older man he didn’t make any effort to. 

It took Dan a few minutes to build up the courage to finally ask the question that was on his mind. 

“Why were you reading those comments?” 

Ross took a deep breath, trying to think of why he did it, and why it had become a common routine in the last few months but he honestly didn’t understand it.

“I don’t know, I just sometimes see that one comment and suddenly I get a sort of need, an itch to search for more. Just feeding my insecurities I guess.”

Dan nodded, he could somewhat understand. 

“Does… Does this happen often?” 

Ross nodded, feeling ashamed. 

Dan was curious now and had one final question that wasn’t really his business but he wanted to know, maybe he could help Ross if he knew. It didn’t harm to ask.

“What did the comment that set you off today say?” 

Ross stammered slightly but told the truth nonetheless.

“It said you hated me and obviously didn’t want to be around me.”

Dan frowned. 

“Are there lots of comments that say that?” 

Dan knew he gave Ross shit a lot of the time, but it was all in good fun, he never imagined that anyone would mistake his jokes for hatred. He wondered if Ross ever took them in that way. From how upset he was it was very possible that he thought Dan was being serious. 

“Ross,” Dan began, his tone serious again.

“Don’t you ever fucking believe that shit. Dude I fucking love you okay.”

Dan didn’t even care that he basically just outed himself. He did care, however, that Ross still looked incredibly upset, maybe even more upset than before.

Ross moved himself from Dan’s lap, he tried standing but his legs gave in and he lowered himself on to the floor, now sitting beside the older man again.

“Thanks,” Ross spoke, his voice almost dismissive and depressed leaving Dan to wonder what he had done wrong. 

“Ross, what’s wrong?” Is it that I said I love you cuz I… I only meant that in a friend way, I…”

Ross held up his hand to signal that Dan should stop talking. 

“I get it, you love me, as a friend.” 

His tone was bitter as he tried to stand again only for his legs to continue to feel weak and he just lent against the wall after taking a few steps, blushing like mad, and Dan immediately realised what was going on. 

“Well I mean, in the way of me covering my ass, yeah I love you as a friend but,” Dan stood walking over to the younger man, tower over him. 

“If you feel any different then I wouldn’t have to cover my ass.”

Ross gave Dan a confused look, oblivious to the fact that Dan had confessed his feelings for Ross a second time. 

Dan rolled his eyes before kissing Ross’s lips. He could feel dampness from Ross’s tears, could taste the salt from them as he deepened the kiss but didn’t care. 

“I love you,” Dan confessed for a third time when they finally broke apart. 

“I love you, and don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.” 

Ross smiled up at the older man. 

“I won’t, I love you too Dan.”


End file.
